The Portland daily press., 1887-01-18
A BIG SCHEME e.
The True inwardness of the Portland
& Roche ter Bill,


In the PRESS few mornings ago, in the
report of the Legislature proceedings, the
following section of the bin amendatory to
the Portland & Rochester railroad charter
presented in the Senate, read as follows:
The Portland and Rochester railroad is hereby
authorized TO extend or build a branch of its rail
road from point at or near Green street in Port
and or Deerlng. thence northeasterly across
Back Cove to and crossing Washington street,
thence eaSterly to a connection with the Grand
Trunk railway; and to change the present lOca-
ton OF any Of It's road Within the above limits; al
so to extend its road or branch thereof cOmnlen-
cling at point In the Mill pond on or near the
westerly side of said Green street, thence wesier
" to aud crossing Grove and st. John streets;
thence Southwesterly to connection with the
railroad of the Maine Central railroad company,
or Boston and Maine railroad between Portland
and DanfOrth streets, and to locate construct and
maintain and use each of the same.
For some time tho Portland & Rochester
road, or some of its officers, have been buy
ing the flats lying between Preble and
Franklin streets-the majority of the proper
ty having been purchased from the Clapp
heirs-although the papers have not yet been
recorded. This purchase includes about
thirty or forty acres. 1t has also been the
intention to buy sufficient land, or flats, from
Franklin street to Tukey's bridge, to enable
the railroad to run their tracks without us
ing the Marginal Way to con meet with the
Grand Trunk tracks, as it is claimed, that
many citizens think this way should be used
as street or driveway by the citizens
These flats from Franklin street to Tukey'S
Bridge, were, for the most part, the property
of the Back Bay Land company, and they
sold them to Mr.. Schwartz. Its reported that
the Rochester road offered Mr.. Schwartz
$4,000 for such part of the land as they de-
sired, but Mr.. Schwartz declined to sell un-
der $4,000, so no bargain has yet been
made.
That portion of the act which would per-
init the road to change its location and make
connection by means of a road west of
Green street, with the Maine Central and
Boston d Maine railroads, is simply asking
permission to use the old Portland & Ken
nebec railroad location, which still exists,
skirting the uplands of Deering Park and
Bramhall Hill. The act would also permit
the road to relieve the tracks at Woodford's
by coming into the city over the old Ocean
street location.
The motive for these purchases and amend
atory act to the charter has caused consider
able speculation. 1t is said that the Boston
& Maine-which owns the Rochester-is
behind the scheme, which is this. The
Maine Central has always desired that the
great union passenger station should be
built when erected, where the Congress
street station is now located, and anticip-
ating this action large quantities of real
estate have been purchased in that locality
by the Maine Central and by gentlemen in
terested in the road, or of speculative turn
OF mind. The Boston & Maine, while own
ing controlling interest in the Maine Gem
trail by its lease of the Eastern, and able to
do as 1t pleases in this matter, has never OPP
posed the Maine Central plan, although it
has expressed an opinion that a more CEN
trail location seemed desirable. 1t is thought
that by securing the privileges asked for
from the Legislature, and obtaining the flats
mentioned, the Boston q Maine line would
sweep in to Portland back of Bramhall and
thus reach the great block of flats at Wins
lows Point. 1t will be remembered that the
government has appropriated large sum of
money for the dredging and development of
a channel in Back Bay, Is feet deep at low
water and 800 feet wide. This channel, when
completed, would give railroad
owning the great amount of flats
mentioned, superb freight facilities.
On this property could be located large
freight yards, while ample space would be
afforded for union passenger station if
that site was preferred. Suppose, say the
gossips, the Canadian Pacific should sue
coed in obtaining the Portland and Ogdens-
burg, and the State should grant to it the
flats on Fore river, above Portland bridge.
near the present Portland and Ogdensburg
freight sheds, that road would have loca-
ton that cannot be beaten in advantages for
steamship facilities by those owned by the |
Grand Trunk nearer Fish Point. The water
has depth, at the place mentioned, of
eighteen feet and a channel can be dredged
from thence down the upper harbor at very
moderate expense as the ground is mud and
soft clay. The State would have to grant
this land to the road as it lies outside |
of the city limits
Ii then the Canadian Pacific should OBJ |
tain this location, and the Rochester or |
Boston and Maine carry out the suggested |
scheme on the back side of the city, it will |
be seen that the city will have three great |
railroad corporations all interested in the |
port, two OF the three in rivalry with each |
other, bringing here all the advantages that |
competition brings, and making Portland |
a great shipping port, as it was always the |
hope it would be.